If one were to measure the performance level of the Bangladesh women's cricket team in the three-match ODI series against South Africa then the all-important last match, which South Africa won by seven wickets at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday by chasing a paltry target of 61, would definitely be considered the worst.
Right from winning the toss and choosing to bat on a pitch that aided the South African pace bowlers to some abysmal fielding by the women in green, it was a match that Salma Khatun and co. will want to forget.
After deciding to bat first, the Bangladeshi players found themselves in all sorts of trouble courtesy of some good bowling by the Proteas. 23-year-old medium pacer Shabnim Ismail was the chief destroyer as she ran through the Bangladesh middle order. She finished the game with four wickets and was adjudged the player of the match.
Disaster struck as Bangladesh lost half their side with just 27 runs on board. Lata Mondol, who was the home-side's in-form player this series, failed to repeat her heroics as she was run-out for just one.
In reply, the South Africans initially found it a little difficult to cope with the Bangladeshi spinners. The home side, however, continued their bad run on the field as they dropped three catches, two of which were sitters.
The pitch was a lot easier to bat on once it dried out and the Proteas took full advantage. Trisha Chetty, who top-scored with 30 runs, hit a flurry of boundaries to take South
Africa home.
Salma Khatun picked up two wickets for the home side and briefly troubled the visitors. Her performance, however, wasn't good enough to change a rather inevitable outcome — an easy victory for the visitors.
The Bangladesh women's team will next play three T2OIs against the same opponents on September 11,12 and 14atthesame venue.
SCORES IN BRIEF
BANGLADESH: 60 all out in 24.1 overs (Rumana 16; Shabnim 4-10, Kapp 2-05) SOUTH AFRICA 61-3 in 20.4 overs (Chetty 30, Benade 21; Salma Khatun 2-20) Result: South Africa won by seven wickets.